Rex Ryan isn’t Mac Jones’ biggest fan. The bombastic failed head coach has called Jones a “peashooter” and given Bill Belichick all of the credit for the Patriots’ success. But Jones’ second-half performance in Indianapolis is causing Ryan to reconsider.
On ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown,” Ryan said Jones proved he could come back and win a game with his arm, even though the Patriots lost 27-17.
“I will say this about New England, about your Patriots: Look, I was laughing about the peashooter and all that type of stuff,” Ryan said. “But he showed me that in the fourth quarter — that’s one thing he had to answer. Could he bring a team back? He did bring his team back. So, to me, that’s gotta be encouraging as well for the Patriots.”
It was an ugly start for Jones, who threw two interceptions in the first three quarters. But the rookie turned it around in the fourth, finding Hunter Henry for a pair of touchdowns. Jones wound up completing 26 of 45 passes for 299 yards.
Occasionally derided as a “dinker and dunker,” Jones made some big throws in the final 15 minutes, including a 43-yard bomb to N’Keal Harry, who leapt and made an incredible grab. Even more impressively, Jones was hit by Al-Quadin Muhammad, who was flagged for roughing the passer.
The Patriots’ effort Saturday was sloppy. They turned the ball over, were flagged for penalties on the offensive line, and allowed the Colts to block their third punt of the season. But Jones’ late-game performance is a bit of a silver lining. When the Patriots spread it out, he was successful.
Next time, maybe Josh McDaniels won’t wait until the Patriots are down 20 points to unleash the Mac Attack.